The Prohibition Law was passed in 1920's stating that the production and distribution of liquor was now illegal. This led to a great outrage of the general public. The population of the U.S. needed alcohol, so some people set up speakeasies, illegal bars, and bootlegging sprouted. Gangsters not only ran speakeasies, but they also murdered people mercilessly. To help enforce the law, a new form of agents called G-Men arose. Law enforcement agencies such as the FBI were later formed from the concept of G-Men.
Bootleggers
Bootlegging became popular during the 1920s because of the Prohibition law that was passed, restricting the distribution and production of alcohol. Bootlegging is the act of illegal distribution and production of liquor. Anyone that was desperate for alcohol could easily get it. Liquor was smuggled in from Canada and across the seas. Soon it became one of the largest illigitemate industries of America. A British Port in the Bahamas exported 37,000 gallons of liquor in 1917, and 1,340,000 gallons in 1922. Brand names came out like Panther Whiskey, Red Eye, Squirrel Whiskey, Cherry Dynamite, Old Stingo, Happy Sally, and Old Horsey. Many rendezvous points were established along the coast of America. For example, the old hideout for the pirate 'Blackbeard', Gun Cay, turned out later to become a grand trading center. Some people could simply make their own liquor at home. These people were called moonshiners. Even doctors tried to get liquor in their own ways. Liquor prescribed as medicine increased dramatically after Prohibition. Over 15,000 doctors and 57,000 retail druggists applied for liscenses to sell medicinal liquor. The Prohibition led to a large amount of bootlegging.
Moonshiner
Bootlegging
Gangsters
The 1920s was the time for the gangster. Since probation got rid of all alcohol americans had to find a way to get alcohol illegally. That was when the gangster came along. They would run casinos and brothels. Also, gangsters robbed banks and were bootleggers. One of the most famous gangsters was Al Capone. Al Capone got into Chicago in 1920, where he made a name for himself. Al Capone robbed banks, operated casinos and brothels, and taunted the law. Al Capone was able to make it so well in Chicago like many others of his time. Chicago was not the only city that was gang infested. Another city with a lot of gangsters was New York. The big apple was home to many speakeasies and brothels. Whenever a ganster would make a robbery in one city, they'd run to a hideout in another to escape the law. The main weopon used by the gangster in any city around the United States was the Tommy Gun.
Al Capone's mugshot, with his fedora hat
Tommy gun
G- Men G-Men, or Government Men, were the first form of secret agents. Most G-Men didn't take their duties seriously, but the ones that did were very successful. Famous G-Men included J. Edgar Hoover and Elliot Ness. J. Edgar Hoover helped transform the Bureau of Investigation into the Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI), which then allowed agents to act against crime and be armed. J. Edgar Hoover made list of suspected criminals and people with different political views. He then helped bring the American Communist Party from 80,000 people to about 6.000. G-Men also worked to enforce Prohibition. Elliot Ness and the 11 Untouchables took out many illegal stills and breweries, using wire-tapping to get information. They also took out the notorious gangster Al Capone. Izzy Einstein and Moe Smith often went undercover into speakeasies to arrest the bartenders. These secret agents helped the U.S. immensely during this time period.
J. Edgar Hoover
Eliot Ness
Vocabulary
Bootlegger - Person who sells illegal alcohol.
Prohibition Law - Law that forbid production and distribution of alcohol.
G- Men - "Government Men" - first form of secret agents.
Brothels - Prostutution center
Bardsley, Marilyn. "Al Capone: Chicago's Most Infamous Mob Boss — Made In America — Crime Library on TruTV.com." TruTV.com: Not Reality. Actuality. Web. 11 Mar. 2011.
Prohibition
Bootleggers - Allen He
Gangsters - Jon Wolfson
G-Men - Jacob Gold
Introduction
The Prohibition Law was passed in 1920's stating that the production and distribution of liquor was now illegal. This led to a great outrage of the general public. The population of the U.S. needed alcohol, so some people set up speakeasies, illegal bars, and bootlegging sprouted. Gangsters not only ran speakeasies, but they also murdered people mercilessly. To help enforce the law, a new form of agents called G-Men arose. Law enforcement agencies such as the FBI were later formed from the concept of G-Men.Bootleggers
Bootlegging became popular during the 1920s because of the Prohibition law that was passed, restricting the distribution and production of alcohol. Bootlegging is the act of illegal distribution and production of liquor. Anyone that was desperate for alcohol could easily get it. Liquor was smuggled in from Canada and across the seas. Soon it became one of the largest illigitemate industries of America. A British Port in the Bahamas exported 37,000 gallons of liquor in 1917, and 1,340,000 gallons in 1922. Brand names came out like Panther Whiskey, Red Eye, Squirrel Whiskey, Cherry Dynamite, Old Stingo, Happy Sally, and Old Horsey. Many rendezvous points were established along the coast of America. For example, the old hideout for the pirate 'Blackbeard', Gun Cay, turned out later to become a grand trading center. Some people could simply make their own liquor at home. These people were called moonshiners. Even doctors tried to get liquor in their own ways. Liquor prescribed as medicine increased dramatically after Prohibition. Over 15,000 doctors and 57,000 retail druggists applied for liscenses to sell medicinal liquor. The Prohibition led to a large amount of bootlegging.
Gangsters
The 1920s was the time for the gangster. Since probation got rid of all alcohol americans had to find a way to get alcohol illegally. That was when the gangster came along. They would run casinos and brothels. Also, gangsters robbed banks and were bootleggers. One of the most famous gangsters was Al Capone. Al Capone got into Chicago in 1920, where he made a name for himself. Al Capone robbed banks, operated casinos and brothels, and taunted the law. Al Capone was able to make it so well in Chicago like many others of his time. Chicago was not the only city that was gang infested. Another city with a lot of gangsters was New York. The big apple was home to many speakeasies and brothels. Whenever a ganster would make a robbery in one city, they'd run to a hideout in another to escape the law. The main weopon used by the gangster in any city around the United States was the Tommy Gun.
G- Men
G-Men, or Government Men, were the first form of secret agents. Most G-Men didn't take their duties seriously, but the ones that did were very successful. Famous G-Men included J. Edgar Hoover and Elliot Ness. J. Edgar Hoover helped transform the Bureau of Investigation into the Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI), which then allowed agents to act against crime and be armed. J. Edgar Hoover made list of suspected criminals and people with different political views. He then helped bring the American Communist Party from 80,000 people to about 6.000. G-Men also worked to enforce Prohibition. Elliot Ness and the 11 Untouchables took out many illegal stills and breweries, using wire-tapping to get information. They also took out the notorious gangster Al Capone. Izzy Einstein and Moe Smith often went undercover into speakeasies to arrest the bartenders. These secret agents helped the U.S. immensely during this time period.
Vocabulary
Bootlegger - Person who sells illegal alcohol.
Prohibition Law - Law that forbid production and distribution of alcohol.
G- Men - "Government Men" - first form of secret agents.
Brothels - Prostutution center
Citations-Allen
"The Bootlegger's Paradise | 1920-1929." Guardian Century. Guardian.co.uk. Web. 09 Mar. 2011. http://century.guardian.co.uk/1920-1929/Story/0,,126621,00.html.Wukovits, John F. The 1920s. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven, 2000. Print.
"Bootlegger." Web. 14 Mar 2011. http://southerngaragebands.com/bootlegger.gif.
"Moonshiner." Web. 14 Mar 2011. < http://excellentproj.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/bootlegger.jpg>.
Citations-Jacob
"Eliot Ness." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 09 Mar. 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliot_Ness."John Edgar Hoover : Biography." Spartacus Educational - Home Page. Web. 09 Mar. 2011. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAhooverE.htm.
Pietrusza, David. The Roaring Twenties. San Diego, CA: Lucent, 1998. Print.
"Untouchables (law Enforcement)." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 09 Mar. 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Untouchables_(law_enforcement).
"J. Edgar Hoover." Web. 14 Mar 2011. http://static.newworldencyclopedia.org/thumb/b/b0/Hoover-JEdgar-LOC.jpg/210px-Hoover-JEdgar-LOC.jpg.
"Eliot Ness." Web. 14 Mar 2011. http://www.clevelandmemory.org/crime/graphics/ness.JPG.
Citations-Jon
Bardsley, Marilyn. "Al Capone: Chicago's Most Infamous Mob Boss — Made In America — Crime Library on TruTV.com." TruTV.com: Not Reality. Actuality. Web. 11 Mar. 2011.http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/gangsters_outlaws/mob_bosses/capone/index_1.html.
ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting. Web. 11 Mar. 2011. <http://img402.imageshack.us/i/tommymachgun1928.jpg/sr=1>.
"Al Capone: The Original Gangster - Photo Gallery - LIFE." LIFE - Your World in Pictures. Web. 11 Mar. 2011. <http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/54771/al-capone-the-original-gangster#index/1>.